The Indo-American Friendship Association (IAFA), New Delhi, supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), recently organized a discussion on the topic ­ Should cinema have a social responsibility? The speakers, including Muzaffar Ali, who presided over the discussion, spoke on an array of subjects in
cluding the subjectivity of social responsibility, and the extent to which entertainment is essential to make a film.

ROWDY RATHORE AND SINGHAM FOR CHILDREN!

Nila Madhab Panda, known for making the award-winning film I Am Kalam, said, “I'm worried about the current state of Indian cinema. It's all about satisfying the audience's fantasy . Who's responsible? We've reached an unfortunate point where films like Rowdy Rathore and Singham are children's films! When I was making I Am Kalam, we had to shoot a fight
between two kids and the producer said, `Why don't you tell the kids to hurl some abuses at each other? The DK Bose song is like an anthem. That will work.' Can you imagine? I have nothing against dance and music. Entertainment is important, but we need a moral sense in cinema today . Ali agreed, saying, “Each person has his own journey in cinema. It's all about that passionate connect. Who's to say what is morally and ethically right?Let's make cinema that's aesthetically appealing. Let's upgrade the art, because that's our social responsibility, let's become global.“

CINEMA IS ONLY ENTERTAINMENT

Author Suresh Kohli, who also spoke at the event, said, “In which country has social change been brought about through cinema? We all want realistic films, but when we get cinema of that sort, we put it down; the censor board pulls it down. How can anyone say that cinema is responsible for the way a society thinks?“
Following this, he pointed to Panda and said, “This is why you have to take your films to all festivals. This is why it's hard for you to sell your work. Who watched your film?“ Other speakers included Surendra Kumar, founding president, IAFA and former secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Pavan Verma, and author Aruna Vasudev .